Vaporizer



F. C. HUNT VAPORIZER Feb. 20, 195l Filed Oct. 3, 1945 if rra/mfr Patented- Feb. zo, 1951 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, f

VAPQiuzER l Fred 0.11am, west Englewood, N. J. Application ootobers, 19454, serial No. 620,110 l This inventionrelates to vaporizers Vparticu larly useful for the treatmentof the nasal Dassages,y throat and lungs when affected by colds and otherwise but is also applicable to other uses. The heating is accomplished bypassing an'electric current between electrodes through the liquid in the ymain vessel or container. The vapor therefrom is then passed through a smaller vessel or chamber containing thel medication,4 the fumes from which are thereby carried outwardly to effect the treatment. y "A 'serious objection to the common forms of vaporizers is due tothe fact that there is a more or less direct passage 'from the heating vessel to the outside discharge opening; and if the vessel is'flled above a certain level with the vaporizing liquid,4 such as water, or if tilted or jolted in use, there is a discharge of boiling hot waterrfrom the outlet instead of vapor. This may cause serious injury tothe` patient by scalding and the wetting anddiscol'orati'on of the clothing or bedding; Another objection isthat a considerable portionof the vapor passes out from the vessel without coming in contactwiththe medication and consequently gives ineffective andv unsatisfactory results. f v-Animportant object of the present invention ijs'to so relate the parts of the apparatus that ther-eis no possibility of Yscalding hot water being ejected from the vaporizer andthu's protects the patient or user from 'possible injury; Another object is to insure that all the vapor will contact the medication and carrythe medication with-it, thereby obtaining the most eicvient and satisfactory-results. 'A further object is to increase the capacity of a small sized apparatusand permit prolonged use withoutl refilling in special treatments, or permit several usual treatments without relling. A further object is to obtain convenience and simplicity in reiilling the main vessel and in renewing the medication.

Another object is to provide a simple" formof structure for insuring the disconnection of the apparatus from the electric source before vaccess to the interior of the main vessel can be obtained. These and other objects and advantages ywill be understood from the following description-and accompanying drawings which illustratefa preferred embodiment of the various` y features of the inventon. f lf.v Fig.` 1 is a perspective side view; Fig. 2 is a verticalsect'ion showing a section through one of the electrodes; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectiono'rithe line 3-'3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4v isa horizontaly section on the line 4.--4 of"Fig.l2 Fig.'5 is a horil-4 zontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. -6 is a vertical section on the line 6'-6 of Fig; 2; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the insulator at the top of the cover with the attachment plug removed; and Fig.' 8 is a vertical section of a modied formof outlet. A-

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the main heating or vaporizing vessel I 0 of glass is mounted lori and embraced by a suitable metal base or frame I I, -as shown in Fig. l. The upper portion ofthe vessel is ofreduced diameter and threaded to re-Aly ceive the-top metal cover I2, a gasket I3 being introduced onthe inner side of the cover and extending over the top edge of the vessel for providing a seal. The cover is provided with a comparatively large circular opening I4. A cylin-I drical extension I5 surrounding the opening is" iixedto the cover at its lower edge and extends upwardly therefrom. The'medication container or chamber I6 is of cylindrical form with`a closed lower end and an open upper end. 'It ts loosely.` within the tubular extension I5 and is provided at its upper end with an outwardly extending rm'IEa which engages the top edge of the tube I5 for` supporting the chamber in xed position; The upper portion of the medication chamber is provided with a number of perforations or openings I5b. This chamber is iilled with a suitable absorbent material I1 such as absorbent cotton forjreceiving the medication and in view of the fact that the lower portion of the chamber is* not perforated, any excess amount of the medie' cation` will beheld in the chamber without pass-- ing into the main Vaporizing vessel. The vapor formedin 'the heating vessel is forced to pass through the perforations I5b and through the medication held by the absorbent material and"- passes outwardly at the top of the medicationE chamben'suicient space beingprovided between the chamber and the tube I5 for passage of the vapor between theseparts and through'the per-f' forations to the absorbent material. The top of the chamber is covered by a converging or taper; ing 'outlet-cap or nozzle I8 which is provided'l with a `downwardly extending tubular portion' I8a which fits closely over the tube I5 with af friction tight t which enables the user to re! move it and replace it. In this manner convenient access is made tothe medication chamber?- for replenishing the medication; also this cham-' ber may be readily lifted for removal in order to replenish thesupply of water,'or other vapo-l rizing liquid,in the main vessel.' Furthermore,"l this large opening through the cover enables the'2 user-to rinse out and keep clean the interior of the main vessel without the necessity of removing the cover.

It is apparent that when the liquid in the main vessel is heated, the vapor therefrom is forced to pass through the medication chamber and through the absorbent material which insures the effective passage of the vapor through and over the medication thereby effecting efficient conveying of the fumes of the medication out through the nozzle I8 for treatment of the patient. Also by this relationship of parts any possibility of discharge of boiling hot Water or other liquid from the main vessel out through the nozzle is avoided because of the necessity of such possible discharge having to pass through the absorbent material which chokes and prevents any such action. This insures protection of the patient from injury by scalding from anyY discharge of liquid from the main vessel and, of course,-pre vents the wetting and soiling of clothing and bedding.

The heating of the liquid in the main vessel is-accomplished by passing current through and between a pair of carbon electrodes I9 spaced from each other, as shown in Figsf and1 6. These electrodes are carried at the lower portion of a vertically extending support 20 of porcelain or other suitable insulating material. This insulator extends from the underside of the cover to near the bottom of the heating vessel. It has two vertically extending holes through which two conducting rods y2I respectively pass freely. At their lower ends they engage the carbons I9 respectively with a forced iit which holds the carbons in iixed position. The insulator isv open at its lower end and contains the spaced carbon electrodes I9 as shown in Fig. 6. An open space 22 is provided in the insulator above the space between the carbons as showny in Figs. 4 and 6. The open space 22 communicates at its upper portion with side outlet openings 23 in the insulator as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Thus a free circulation of the liquid is provided as heated by the passage of the current between the carbons from between the carbons to the space 22 and then out through the side'openings 23.

On the outside of thetcover I2 ofthe vessel and opposite the upper end of the insulator 20 is an insulating block 24 of porcelain or other insulating material. This is provided with two circular downwardly extending portions v24a which pass through openingsV in the cover and engage a corresponding. pair of recesses in the upper end of the main insulator 20. The' con-Y ducting rods 2| pass through openings in the insulating block 24 and extend above this insulater. The upper ends of these rods arethreaded and respectively receive threaded sleeves 25 forming terminals for the reception of an attachment plug 26. The lower ends of these sleeves engage the top ofthe block 24 and thereby draw the carbons, the main insulator 20 and the insulating block 24 firmly together for holding the partsy in fixed position on the supporting cover. The attachment plug 26 of the usual type is provided to engage the terminal sleeves 25 for supplying the heating current to the electrodes.

A handle element 21 in theform of a strip of sheet-metal is secured at its lower end to the embracing support II and its upper portion is bent to cause the end of the strip to pass into a space 24h formed at one side of the block 24 just above the cover. The block 24 is countersunk on its upper face opposite the space 24h for the reception of a screw 28 which passes downwardly and engages a threaded opening in the end of the handle connecting element 2l which secures the handle in fixed position. It is obvious that by removing the screw 28 the upper end of the handle is released and may be drawn outwardly by bending the sheet metal strip which permits the top I2 to be removed from the main vessel for inspection or repairs. The attachment plug 2S is enlarged at the sides and when in place covers the screw 28 as shown in Fig. 2. It then necessitates the removal of the attachment plug before access to the screw and to the interior of the vessel is accomplished. It thus insures the disconnection of the device from the source of electricity before the cover is removable and the interior made accessible. However, access to the interior by the user is not always necessary owing to the fact that the medication may be replenished without removing the cover and the main vessel may be refilled and rinsed through the opening I4 in the cover; and it is unnecessary to insure the removal of the attachment plug before removing the cover by the user. Therefore, it is not necessary that the attachment plug cover the screw 28 except for added protection.

Owing to the fact that this improvement prevents any chance of discharge of the heated liquid from the nozzle of the apparatus, as already explained, the main vessel may be nearly filled with the vaporizing liquid instead of being limited to a comparatively low level, and thereby the capacity of the vaporizer is greatly increased and the duration of continuous use with one lling `is considerably prolonged, or permits use for several short periods without refilling,

Fig. 8 shows an outlet cap 29 which may be used in place of the outlet nozzle I8 and has a cylindrical lower portion 29a adapted to t over the tube I5 and an outwardly haring portion 29h, as distinguished from the converging nozzle I8. The-outwardly flaring portion of the outlet shown in Fig. 8 diverges from a small opening at the medication chamber to insure sufficient pressure on the vapor to dispense it over a wide area. The daring discharge opening of Fig. 8 is advantageous because it enables the medication carried by the vapor to be dispersed over a much larger area than that obtained by the nozzle I8; and in some forms of treatment such wide dispersion of the vapor carrying fumes is particularly helpful.

Instead of heating the vaporizing liquid electrically in the manner shown, it may be otherwise electrically heated or may be heated by other means.

Although a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A vaporizer comprising a vessel for containing the liquid to be vapor-ized, a supporting .frame for the vessel, a cover for the vessel, electrodes within the vessel spaced apart from each other, conductors connected respectively to said electrodes, an insulating block xed on the cover, terminals on said block for reception of an attachment plug, said terminals being in electrical connection with said conductors respectively, and mechanical connecting means extending between the frame and said block, said connecting means being removably connected to said block, said connecting means preventing removal of the coin` er from the vessel until after the disconnection of said removable connection.

2. A vaporizer comprising a vessel for containing the liquid to be vaporized, a supporting frame for the vessel, a cover for the vessel, flectrodes within the vessel spaced apart from cach other, conductors connected respectively, to'said electrodes, an insulating block fixed on the cover, terminals on said block for reception of an attachment plug, said terminals being in electrical connection with said conductors respectively,` and mechanical connecting means extending between the frame and said block, said connecting means being removably connected to said blc'ck,=` said connecting means preventing removal of `the'fcover from the vessel until after the disconnection of said removable connection, said removablelconnection being located to be covered by tsaid attachment plug when in place for preventing disconnection of said removable connection Vuntil after the removal of said attachment plug.`

3. A vaporizer comprising a main vessel for containing the liquid to be vaporized, a supporting frame for the vessel, a cover on topcf the vessel, said cover having an opening, a removable container projecting within said opening for containing medication, the bottom of said container and the lower portion of its wall being closed and the upper portion of the wall having perforations for permitting the passage of vapor from said liquid into and through said container, electrodes within the vessel spaced apart from each other, conductors connected respectively to said electrodes, an insulating block xed on the cover, terminals on said block for reception of an attachment block, said terminals being in electrical connection with said conductors respectively, and mechanical connecting means extending between said frame and said block, said connecting means being removably connected to said'block, said connecting means preventing removal of the cover from the vessel until the disconnection of said removable connection.

FRED C. HUNT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record ln the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 19,368 Katzman Nov. 6, 1934 785,692 Bell Mar. 21, 1905l 1,292,759 Granger Jan. 28, 1919 1,589,072 Hamacheck l June 15, 1926 1,659,970 Chouinard Feb. 21, 1928 1,879,297 Katzman Sept. 27, 1932 2,123,509 Lawner et al July l2, 1938 

